LETTER: Help to make this Christmas safe and happy for all

Help us give the gift of hope this Christmas.

As the cold nights of winter draw in it becomes more apparent how important home is to us all.

While most of the country will be getting ready to celebrate with loved ones and looking forward to a home cooked Christmas dinner, there will be thousands of people facing the struggle of having nowhere safe to call home.

Many of us will have noticed the rising number of people sleeping on the streets where we live or work.

But what we don’t see is that for every person on our streets there are another twelve families or individuals stuck in hostels, on sofas and in unsafe and insecure accommodation.

No one should be forced to live, or spend Christmas, this way.

That’s why – outside of our year-round services – Crisis runs special Christmas centres which offer hope where previously there might not have been any.

At our centres guests are provided with warmth, food, companionship and access to vital services such as advice on benefits.

They can also have a haircut, see a doctor, have some physio and take part in yoga and other activities.

But we don’t stop there.

At our Christmas centres, we introduce people to our year-round training, education and support with housing, employment and wellbeing.

This long-term support helps people to rebuild their lives and leave homelessness behind for good.

But we can’t do it alone. We’re asking members of the public to help support our work this Christmas and year-round – so we can be there for everyone who needs us.

So, whether you attend one of our carol services, become one of our essential volunteers or reserve a place for someone at a Crisis Christmas centre, you’ll be helping to make someone’s wish to end their homelessness a reality.

To find out more or to donate to Crisis this Christmas please visit www.crisis.org.uk/christmas

Matthew Green

Director of Crisis Skylight Centre

Birmingham